Beyond the Caribbean Cliche

09 October, 2025
Posted by Tom Greenfield

There’s a certain kind of Caribbean resort you’ve seen a hundred times. Turquoise walls, tiki huts sprouting on the beach, a splash of “island” furniture in the lobby. Safe, familiar, maybe even comforting. For some travellers, that’s paradise. For others — particularly those who have been here before — it’s déjà vu.

But here’s the thing: the market has shifted. Today’s travellers — especially millennials, who now make up half of all global tourists — don’t just want “the Caribbean.” They want this island. They want to feel like they’ve landed somewhere unrepeatable, where the buildings and interiors are inseparable from the place itse

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Playing It Safe vs. Playing It True

Sometimes it's easy to fall back on clichés because they’re proven. If people expect turquoise and tiki, why not give it to them? But authenticity isn’t about checking boxes — it’s about confidence. Confidence to deliver the unexpected, while still carrying the Caribbean in its heart. Guests don’t remember cookie-cutter; they remember surprise.

The Subtle Art of Belonging

Caribbean design doesn’t need to shout. In fact, it’s often the smaller, considered details that give a resort its soul. Local rum or coffee in the room, a crafted soap in the bathroom, artwork chosen with intent rather than decoration. The trick is restraint. Put a flamingo in the lobby and you’re signalling theme; design a roof that shelters guests from a sudden downpour while they sip a cocktail made with local rum, and you’re giving them an experience.

Architecture and interiors have to work hand in hand here. If the shell feels too neutral, the interiors might overcompensate with forced “island” cues — and the result is a mismatch. Staying true to Caribbean materials, proven over generations, is one of the most reliable ways to keep a project authentic.

Capturing the Real Moments

For me, authenticity often lives in moments rather than buildings. Sitting at Grace Bay Club’s infinity bar with the trade winds on your face; or lingering over grilled lobster at Omar’s Beach Hut while the painted timber walls glow in the sun. These aren’t “designed” in the conventional sense, but they feel unforgettable. Our challenge as architects is to bottle that atmosphere — and reinvent it for a high-end guest looking to spend $2,000 a night. A tin roof might not cut it, but the qualities of light, informality, and cultural rhythm can.

The New Caribbean Traveller

The more travelled your guests are, the more they crave what feels genuine. And investors are catching on. Trusting in design-led thinking means creating places that feel inevitable — as if they’ve always belonged. At Dune, that often means discarding obvious ideas, even good ones, in favour of something that surprises while still feeling rooted.

Because in the end, “Caribbean-themed” is a coconut cocktail under a tiki hut. “Caribbean-authentic” is a deep wooden overhang, sheltering you from the rain, as you sip a modern rum cocktail you’ll never forget.